Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy Jumping around areas of interest

Is it normal for kids to jump from area to area of interest? 2 weeks ago my DS8 could not put down chemistry and element books, this week he can't put down the new dragon books he is reading, and a month ago he couldn't put down the newest game he was creating involving various Star Wars ships vs. the U.S. Navy (or something like that). I go a bit nutty trying to keep up with whatever is the idea du jour, and I worry about his semi-obsessiveness (which doesn't seem to last too long). He does often cycle back into areas of interest, to be honest, and many areas are of lasting interest - but I am not sure whether I should encourage the jumping, or encourage a deeper understanding, or just be amused by all the things his agile little brain is attracted to.

Cat

Don't know if it's "normal" or not, but my DS10 is the same way. He takes what he needs/wants from whatever at the time, then moves on. He usually goes back to different interests, but those he doesn't, I just assume weren't all that appealing to him.

I personally like that he's got an interest in so many different things because it only broadens his world. If he chooses to go more in depth with something, I certainly wouldn't discourage it, though.

It is hard, because I do like that he is broad in his interests, but I would hate for him to become a master of none... if you know what I mean.

I think this is just one of those areas where people are different. Being able to jump into a new area quickly and get enthusiastic about it is a really valuable thing, I certainly wouldn't discourage it! I would expect if one of these areas has the potential to be something he's keen on in the long term, he'll keep up with it, maybe by keeping returning to it.

He's eight years old, after all. If he were focusing on one area to the exclusion of all else I'd be worried about making him reasonably well-rounded. I think you have nothing to worry about; eight year olds are not expected to specialize. He's got a long road ahead of him.

DS7 does the same thing. I'm thrilled about it since ASD kids tend to get stuck and obsess. I think of Monty Python..."And now for something completely different."

I am the same way, unfortunately. And I say that because I am the type that is decent at anything I do, but great at nothing. I get very bored, very easily. I envy people that are great at whatever their craft is.

Saying that, however, DS6 is the same way, and I encourage it, even though I have issues personally. At this age, I want him to experience as much as possible. The one thing that "messed me up" was quitting before I got through to the "end", which is where I don't let DS6 go. He has to get to the "end" before deciding he doesn't want/like to do something.

So basically, I wouldn't discourage it at all, unless you start to see signs of "giving up" on that new path when something gets "difficult" (sign of perfectionism). I would call it very normal at 8.

JJMom's, I have a sneaking suspicion your version of "decent" is most people's version of outstanding. That being said, I'm pretty much the same way: short-term obsessive? It's as if I have to drain something dry as quickly as possible (be that hours for a book or months for some scholarly topic) then toss it aside. I do come back to some topics again and again, but my chronic indecision has definitely been problematic in my adult life. So, Cat, I'd ditto what JJsMom said -- bredth is fantastic, but make sure he's learning perserverance, too.

And worse, I cannot take a compliment well at all. I'd probably have a booming photography business if I wasn't so self-critical. My father envies me because I can read music. Yet I envy him because he can play anything by ear (other than the harmonica). Had I stuck to an instrument or to lessons, I probably would be "better than average" (I will never agree with outstanding for me personally). So yes, I'm sure that I'm better than most at many different things, but like you, I dive in with full intensity and just let it slowly die.

Thanks for the advice. One thing it helped me see was that this may be more about me than him (often the case in parenting )- as I am much the same way as JJsMom and feel like I have never truly excelled in anything. We do try hard to focus on his effort and he is required to stick with sports, etc. that he selects until the end of the season (not usually a problem, frankly, he tends to like everything). And as my DH pointed out, he does have some long term interests, and the reality is at this age their interests should be changing and developing.

He is thinking about whether to start a language or an instrument and if he does so, that will be the one thing he will be required to make a more lengthy commitment to, so I think that will be a good long term learning experience.

This is so my 9 yo son as well. For a while this year it was Rube Goldberg machines. Then magic. Last year it was greek mythology. First grade pokemon. On and on and on!

We've chosen music as our "stick with it" thing and it has worked very well for both our kids. They both enjoy it most days. And my 9 yo has enough mastery now that I highly doubt he would want to quit. We'll see how it goes for the teen years!

JJsMom -- I love finding out how non-unique I am (except I can't read music...) The other day a friend of mine complemented me and I said "Thank you," in a kind of brusque way, because what the heck do you do with complements, and he said "Well, it's true," and I said "Thank you," probably even more rudely, because it's all I can do... Like, come on, you know I can't take a complement. I'm being as civil as I can about it... I guess it's because I only feel like I deserve it if it's something that I had to work hard at?

Cat -- Thanks for reminding me that a lot of this is the parent's issue. And, in the scholastic world, a lot of it is "the system". I find myself doing things re my dd just to follow the status quo and then I realize, "Wait, thisis dumb. I know this is dumb. She doesn't like it, I don't have to do it, so we're stopping now." But, it doesn't just apply to the "system" but to our own personality/parenting styles.

My DS7 is the same way. He has mini-obsessions with virtually every subject under the sun. He generally spends a couple of weeks on something, then moves on to something else.

ME TOO! Exactly. I have come to accept it as just the way I am. It is more of a knowledge thing. I like to explore whatever it is until I am satisfied (whatever point that is) and then it is on to something else. I really don't think there is any way to reign it in.

Your question reminds me of the book, Refuse to Choose, by Barbara Sher. She talks about how some people are "divers" who stick to a single interest for years and years (as I have been with gifted education for the last 30 years), and some people are "scanners" who move from interest to interest. They never have a need to perfect anything. Once they think they understand it, they want to move on to the next thing. Many gifted people also have "multipotentiality" and it is hard to make a choice from all their possibilities. With a young, gifted child, it is probably healthy to have many interests and to be so curious that he doesn't mind moving from one area of interest to another. I am a university professor in gifted education as well as a coach for parents of gifted education, and it is clear that we need to be careful not to over-analyze all our children's behaviors.